This invention relates to coin handling in payout apparatus such as slot machines or similar gaming or amusement devices and in particular to a reliable means for counting coins discharged from such devices and for controlling the total number of coins paid out.
Heretofore gaming devices often use an elongated duct to transfer coins from a payout hopper to a coin tray, such as when the coin tray is elevated from the hopper. In one such prior art design, coins are pushed through the duct by the hopper and out a discharge slot at the end of the duct into payout tray. A pin with a roller which is held in place by a spring prevents the coin nearest the slot from going through the outlet slot until pressure is applied to the roller by an upwardly moving column of coins during a payout. When a coin pushes against the roller, the spring stretches and the roller moves, allowing the coin to exit. As a coin exits, the spring pulls the roller back into a position to block the next coin while imparting velocity to the exiting coin. A drawback of this mechanism is that coins can be stolen by inserting a paper clip or other device into the outlet slot and pushing the roller back while "fishing" out a coin.
In certain gaming devices of the type described above, a counter is placed on the payout hopper near where the hopper connects to the elongated duct to count the correct number of coins during a payout. Because of the varying diameters of tokens used by various casinos, the stack height of coins in the elongated duct between the counter and the outlet slot of the duct could vary by as much as 1/4 inch or more. This variation can result in counting errors and thus overpays or underpays during a coin payout.
Another device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,377 issued to the assignee of the present invention provides coin handling apparatus for receiving coins at one end of a coin transport channel, feeding the coins through the channel in single edge-to-edge file and discharging the coins through an outlet slot at the outlet end of the channel. A security device located at the outlet end of the channel is in contact with a first coin next to the outlet slot and a second coin farther from the outlet slot. The security device prevents the first coin from being discharged through the outlet slot unless the first and second coins move simultaneously and with substantially equal speeds toward the outlet slot.
The security device is a rocker arm located at the end of the channel with a first and second pin extending through the channel for contacting a first and second coin, and with a pivot around which the rocker arm rotates. When a coin is being ejected, the first pin rolls along the edge of the first coin away from the outlet slot, while the second pin rolls along the edge of a second coin towards the center of the channel into the "V" area between the second coin and a third coin. After the first coin is ejected, the rocker arm is returned to its original position by a spring. In this position, the first coin cannot be pulled from the outlet slot by a thief because it is blocked by the first pin. The thief cannot simply push the first pin back as in previous designs because the rocker arm rigidly connects the first pin to the second pin and the second pin will not move while it is blocked by the second coin, and it will be blocked by the second coin until the coins are forced through the channel during a payout.
A counter is placed near the outlet slot, rather than close to the hopper, to prevent counting errors due to varying heights of the stack of coins in the duct. The counter is activated each time the rocker arm pivots. When the counter reaches the number of coins to be ejected, no more coins are fed into the channel by the hopper.
The second pin can cause binding of the coins in the channel if the diameter of the coins varies because the second pin is located so that it will engage the periphery of an ideal diameter coin. This binding is eliminated by adjustably mounting the second pin in a slot in the rocker arm. The slot allows the roller of the "V" areas between the second and third coins as a result of coin stack height variations due to differences in the coin diameter, thereby preventing the coins from binding up.